Fans of the Russellville Lady Cyclones basketball team have grown accustomed to hearing a phrase over the PA system at Cyclone Gym, as well as on the radio, from the voice of the Cyclones, Mickey DuVall.

“Kaylee Wiedower for three,” was called for the last time on March 10 when Russellville lost 50-31 to Little Rock Parkview in the Class 6A state championship game.

Area coaches also called out her name one last time as they voted her the 2012 Tri-County Girl’s Player of the Year.

“It’s really exciting to get an award like this, and to know other people know and recognize how hard I’ve worked the past three years in high school and that we were really successful this year,” Kaylee said of her award.

“It makes me very proud,” head coach and father Steve Wiedower said of his daughter’s honor. “I know how much work she put into it. Like I said, as a father I’m very proud. But just being able to be a part of this program here at Russellville and seeing her grow as a person, not just as a player, makes you appreciate the opportunity that she had.”

Kaylee wasn’t necessarily dominant this season, racking up 17 points and 4.5 rebounds a game while she shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent from the charity stripe. No, what made her so special was her consistency on the court and her improvement on the defensive end of the floor.

“She really worked hard on her shooting and she was probably one of the best shooters in the state, no doubt about it, because you could just depend on her when she was open she could hit a shot,” Steve Wiedower said. “Of course, there was a lot of parts of her game that she really had to work on — rebounding and defense and things — and get better at, and she did. She’s improved in all the aspects of the game, not just shooting. It’s meant a lot for her to come in and the girls play together and learn how to play as a team. You have to give all the girls a lot of credit on that.”

High praise from a coach who, over the years, has done a masterful job of managing the difficulties that comes with coaching one’s child. Not once has he shown favoritism towards either of his daughters — Kenzie is a freshman this season — on the court.

Kaylee won’t take all the credit for her success this year, though. She was one of a group of six seniors who helped change the culture of the Lady Cyclones basketball program. Fellow seniors Natalie Shockey, Mary Carol Davis, Susan Taylor, Sarah Prochazka and Lindsey Glover all have left their mark on Russellville. This season, all six seniors led the team in scoring at one point, which takes pressure off a scorer like Kaylee.

“It’s so much a relief to know that if I’m having a game where I can’t hit a basket, someone can step up and lead the team in scoring,” she said. “It’s just so much easier on all of us that we worked together and created stuff for each other.”

Kaylee was in the running for the player of the year in 2011, but lost to a talented player from Pottsville, Michaela Talley. She had some competition this year from Alexus Elmore of Danville and another talented Lady Apache, Jessie Van Es. But area coaches saw what many Lady Cyclones fans have seen for the three years they’ve watched Kaylee — a special player.

Area coaches aren’t the only ones who have seen her worth on the basketball court. Harding University head coach Tim Kirby saw enough to deliver a scholarship offer that was accepted by Kaylee with pride.

“I’m really excited about playing with them [Lady Bisons],” she said. “Coach Kirby had told me before I signed that they were looking for somebody to come in and be a shooter for them. I would consider that one of my strongest parts of my game, my shooting ability. I’m looking to go in there next year to be a scorer for them, somebody they can dish it out to and can hit the three and be an offensive threat for them.”

Though the Lady Bisons are a conference rival of the hometown team, Arkansas Tech, Kaylee said she’s more excited about playing against them than anything else.

“I’ve thought about that [playing the Golden Suns], and you know, I’m kinda excited about that,” she added. “My friend Jaimie Long is at Tech, so I’m going to get to play against one of my best friends. I guess you could say it’s going to be awkward, but I think I’m more excited about it than dreading it.”

No matter where she plays her college basketball, Kaylee Wiedower has left her mark on Russellville athletics, and has been rewarded by the people who know the most about the game.

How they voted

Kaylee Wiedower, Russellville — 10

Alexus Elmore, Danville — 2

Jessie Van Es, Pottsville — 1

Addition to the Tri-County Girl's Team

Junior Hope Moore, Danville — 9 pts., an excellent defender, will be one of the better players in the River Valley next year.